1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighting device for a motorcycle having improved workability in mounting to a vehicle body.
2. Background Art
FIG. 12 of the present application is a sectional view of a conventional direction indicator for a motorcycle. The direction indicator 100 has an electric bulb 104 contained in a bulb container 103 composed of a base 101, and a front lens 102 serving as a cover. The direction indicator 100 is mounted to a vehicular body 106 via a stay 105 connected to the base 101. A mounting plate 107 mounted to one end of the stay 105 is fixed to the base 101 with a bolt 108, and a mounting plate 109 mounted to the other end of the stay 105 is fixed to the vehicular body 106 with a bolt 110 and a nut 111. A claw 112 functioning as a rotation stop member is formed on the mounting plate 109. The bolt 110 is integrally formed within the stay 105, and has a through hole formed coaxially with a hole 113 formed in the stay 105. A power feeding cord 114, which is connected to the electric bulb 104, is guided to the vehicular body 106 side via the through-hole formed in the bolt 110. A direction indicator having such a structure is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 1-21115.
FIG. 13 is a sectional view of another example of a conventional direction indicator. In this figure, parts corresponding to those shown in FIG. 12 are designated by like reference numerals. A direction indicator 100 is configured such that a hole 115 used for fastening a bolt 108 provided for fixing a stay 105 to a base 101 is formed in a side end portion of the stay 105. The hole 115 serves as a passage for guiding a cord 114 to the vehicular body 106 side. In this way, the conventional art example shown in FIG. 13 is different from the conventional art example shown in FIG. 12, in that a hole for guiding the cord 114 is not formed in a bolt 116.
The above-described conventional direction indicators have the following shortcomings: In each direction indicator, since the stay 105 must be molded so that the bolt 110 or 116 is integrally formed within the stay, the molding of the stay 105 is complicated. In general, a connector for connecting two cord portions on the electric bulb side to two cord portions on the vehicular body side is provided at the leading end of the cord 114.
If a connection part (coupler connector) is used to unify the two cord portions, a large hole for allowing the coupler connector to pass through must be formed in the bolt 110, and the sizes of the bolt 110 and the nut 111 must be increased. Also since the nut 111 must be fastened to the bolt 110 such that the cord 114 has passed through the bolt 110, it is difficult to use an automatic fastening apparatus to hold the entire nut 111. This is disadvantageous in that the nut 111 must therefore be manually fastened to the bolt 110.
In the example of FIG. 13 in which the bolt 108 is passed through the hole 115, to advance the bolt 108, a screwdriver must be inserted in the hole 115 such that the cord 114 is offset to one side. This decreases the ease of installation of the bolt.
Further, in the example of FIG. 13, since the stay 105 is fixed to the vehicular body 106 by a relatively small bolt 116, excess stress is concentrated at the mounting portion of the bolt 116. This limitation restricts the degree of freedom in design of the stay. If the vehicular body is formed from a resin material, it is difficult to securely fasten the stay 105 to the vehicular body 106 with the bolt 116.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the conventional art and to achieve other advantages not contemplated by the conventional art.
The present invention is in part addressed to a lighting apparatus for a motorcycle which has a simplified structure for the stay, thereby improving the workability in molding and assembling the apparatus, and also reducing design restrictions.
The present invention provides a lighting device for a motorcycle having a bulb container and a stay for fixing the bulb container to a mounting member of a vehicle body. The stay is formed into a cylindrical shape having a through-hole, and has an engagement groove engaged with a bulb container mounting hole provided in the mounting member. The engagement groove is formed in the outer periphery of the stay at a position on the mounting member mounting side. The stay includes a fixing member having at least a cylindrical portion to be fitted in an opening of the stay at an end portion on the mounting member mounting side.
Because the bulb container is supported by the stay engaged with the mounting member on the vehicle body side, and the cylindrical portion of the fixing member is fitted in the hole of the cylindrical stay, the engagement portion between the mounting member and the stay can be reinforced.
The present invention also provides a flange formed on the cylindrical portion of the fixing member, and an engagement hole in at least one of the cylindrical portion and the flange. A projection to be engaged in the engagement hole is provided on the stay. According to this feature, since engagement of the projection and the engagement hole prevents the fixing member from slipping off of the stay, it is possible to more securely fix the bulb container to the vehicle body.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.